A blueprint for the perfect phone

Design
Thin is definitely in, so the DUB phone would measure 10mm deep. Smooth lines are important too, since I don't want it to jab me in the leg when it's in my pocket. Clean, matte, non-stain surfaces would keep it looking at its best.

I'm not overly keen on moving parts because they can break, so it has to be a candybar-shaped handset -- and built to last. The frame would be made of metal and reinforced around the edges. The DUB's screen would be protected by hardened mineral glass to decrease the chances of it getting scratched.

Touchscreens are very 2007, but I don't think you can beat a standard keypad. For starters, large touchscreens drain battery power and, in general, are rather fiddly to use. Keys you can push produce the kind of tactile feedback that lets you know you've done something without needing to look at the screen.

The keypad must be well-designed and large enough to press without needing to use a fingernail. Each key should be separated from the other without being set too far apart. The keys should also be slightly raised in the middle, similar to the Motorola Q 9's keypad, so that they're easy to find with your thumb.

All the keys on the keypad are backlit by a white light. When you receive a call on the DUB, the send and end call keys' backlights change colour and turn red and green respectively. The send call key also turns green when you're searching through contacts, clearly indicating which button you have to press to make a call.

If I have to squint to read messages or look at photos, then the screen isn't large enough. Unfortunately, big screens drain battery, so the DUB's screen would be divided into two sections.

The top section would be a small electrophoretic screen, similar to the one used in the otherwise awful Motorola F3. This screen is visible in almost any light and would display essential info such as battery life, signal strength, missed calls or messages, and incoming caller details (name/number) during a call. The beauty of electrophoretic technology is that it barely consumes any power.

The lower part of the DUB's display would be a much larger OLED colour screen, which would consume much less power than an LCD, but still show bright, colour images. This screen would only be activated when you clicked on the navigation key and would optimise its brightness depending on ambient light via a light sensor, further saving energy.

Underneath the OLED screen at the top of the keypad there would be a navigation key like a mini version of Apple's Click Wheel, which would also let you click it up, down, left and right, as you would on a four-way navigation key. In the middle of the navigation key there would be a semi-spherical OK key that's easy to find and press.

On the back of the phone, the camera would be located at the top of the handset and be used in conjunction with the OK key rather than a dedicated camera button. It would also be covered by hardened mineral glass, to avoid any scratches.

Last, but definitely not least, I want as little branding on the handset as possible. I already know which network I bought the phone on and who made it, so I don't need a constant reminder on the handset's surface or screen. You never see home furniture covered in the words IKEA or DFS, so why would you want it on your phone?

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